() Tzu-Chi's Aphorisms In Chinese and English (Master Cheng Yen) 1.

For someone who , makes good use of time , every moment , is goodfor meditation. 2. When the mind is pure and tranquil, we have arrived in Pureland. 3. True goodness , is to reach out naturally , without , the slightesthesitation.

- 1 - Powered by

4. Forget , our achievements, but not our mistakes. Forget , thetrespasses of others , but not the kindness, they have shown us. 5. When you view the world, from a different perspective, the worldbecomes, vast and wide. Try shifting your perspective, in everything you do,,and all will be, light and easy. 6. To give without joy,, not only carries no merit, but engendersafflictions.

- 2 - Powered by

7. Every thought, every word, every action is , the origin of karmaand misfortune. 8. Do not underestimate yourself; , everyone has unlimited potential. 9. Everyone has a Buddha nature, , and a Bodhisattvas strength andspirit. 10. It is difficult to, remain grateful , in destitution, but a person, who does good, with a grateful heart is, less likely to, fall intodestitution.
- 3 - Powered by

11. (Buddhism speaks of , developing discipline, , meditativeconcentration, , and wisdom.), Discipline is to, not give rise to , unwholesomethoughts., Meditative concentration is to , be calm under adversity., Wisdom isto , take control of our mind , and change our destiny. 12. Happiness, is not about, how much we possess, but how little we,bicker over trivials. 13.

- 4 - Powered by

If our thoughts are, upright and wholesome,, we can, always be atease and, evil cannot come near. 14. Though we aim high,, we must take solid and, concrete steps, hereand now. 15. Remain soft-spoken and forgiving,, even when reason is on yourside. 16. A confused mind suffers agony;, an enlightened mind feels at ease. 17.

- 5 - Powered by

Giving time , to our parents, is about , spending time with them,with joy,, not merely out of, a sense of duty. 18. Our mind is like a garden; , if no good seeds are sown, , nothinggood will grow from it. 19. Take up good deeds and, let go of hard feelings., In helping othersto, fulfill their goal, we too gain. 20. The more we give,, the more grounded, we will feel.

- 6 - Powered by

21. The journey, of a thousand miles, begins with one first step., Even the saint was once, an ordinary human being.

22. Getting angry is actually, to punish yourself, with other peoples mistakes.

23. Every single day is like a blank page of our life., Every person we meet, every event we participate in is a lively essay.

- 7 - Powered by

24. In the face of criticism, , ask if your conscience is clear. , With a clear conscience, , you will have peace of mind.

25. Speak kind words, think good thoughts, , do good deeds, and walk the right path.

26. In showing gratitude,, we become , a more beautiful person.

- 8 - Powered by

27. Being content helps us, to be appreciative., Having gratitude helps us, to see things, in their positive light., Being this way, we will, become a more, tolerant and, understanding person.

28. Practicing Buddhism , is about learning to, promptly correct, our wrong views.

29. It is meaningless , to demand others respect., Only the respect , inspired by the goodness , of our character , is real and true.
- 9 - Powered by

30. Our accomplishments in life, are built on, the words and actions, we make every day , thus we must be discreet in our, daily speech and behavior.

31. Life is like , walking on a tightrope., Walk straight ahead and, concentrate on , whats in front of us;, to keep looking back, does us no good.

- 10 - Powered by

32. Be clear and complete when you talk and listen., Do not pick one sentence here, and one sentence there;, or you may by accident intensely hurt someone.

33. If we are, spiritually rich , and fulfilled,, we will be happy,, even if materialistically, our life is, basic and simple.

34. If we dont do something meaningful,, our life will pass by in vain., But if we work
- 11 - Powered by

unceasingly for the betterment of mankind,, ours will be a beautiful life.

35. To begin is easy,, to persist, difficult., Talking about truth, without practicing it, leads neither to enlightenment, nor realizing the Dharma.

36. Having gratitude , can help us dissolve , our inner afflictions, and waken , our compassion.

- 12 - Powered by

37. If we work , with a joyful heart,, no matter how tiring and, demanding the task is,, we will be rewarded, with a sense of , bliss and joy.

38. Good actions require, everyones cooperation,, so lets not cling to, personal biases.

39. The ability to love, is a blessing. , The ability to , eliminate afflictions , is wisdom.

- 13 - Powered by

40. We must first love others, to have a beautiful life.

41. When we care for others with deep sincerity,, our heart of love is the noble seed, that brings great blessings.

42.

- 14 - Powered by

To win the hearts of others and always be welcomed,, we must be cautious of our tone of voice , and facial expression.

43. It is our duty, as a human being, to do good., Expecting nothing in , return,, our heart will naturally, enjoy peace and ease.

44. Taking a step back , to accommodate others , refines our character , and nurtures , spiritual growth.

45.
- 15 - Powered by

 With faith, , we will have, unlimited strength., With selfless intentions,, we will be , showered with blessings.

46. Most people fight, for the sake of pride, but the wise can let go.

47. Transform greed into contentment,, and contentment into compassion.

48.
- 16 - Powered by

Only by undergoing , the trials and challenges, of human affairs , do we become , strong and resilient.

49. In handling matters, let your mind influence your heart., In dealing with people, let your heart influence your mind.

50. When we have the will,, we will have strength.

51.

- 17 - Powered by

We all have, a pure and clear, Buddha nature,, obscured by, afflictions and delusion.

52. Bodhisattvas are not idols made of wood; , real Bodhisattvas are people who eat, talk, , work, and relieve suffering in times of need.

53. Lies are like , flowers in full bloom;, they look beautiful , but do not last long.

54.
- 18 - Powered by

The most , simple and ordinary life , brings the most , inner peace.

55. Getting mad is, like a bout of temporary insanity.

56. When we treat others with loving-kindness, , we will not stir up ill feelings,, and we will be able to , form good relationships with others.

57.

- 19 - Powered by

Born into this world,, we are always with people;, hence spiritual cultivation, cannot be achieved in isolation.

58. Do not think too highly of yourself, , and yet, never underestimate your ability.

59. Be grateful always,, for everything and everyone,, at every moment.

60.

- 20 - Powered by

Being safe and well, is a real blessing, and helping others , willingly, is a mark of wisdom.

61. Love is not about , asking of the other person, but about , giving of ourselves , unconditionally, so that we can, help things become, perfect and complete.

62.

- 21 - Powered by

Through continuous giving,, we create blessings., Through the handling of, human affairs,, we cultivate wisdom., By cultivating, blessings and wisdom,, we grow spiritually.

63. Let us work together , for the common good, in harmony , and with mutual love, for one another.

64. Chipped though the cup , may be,, if you look at the cup, from a different angle,, you ll see that, the rest of it, is still perfect.

- 22 - Powered by

65. Treasure each , and every moment, to share ones love and , serve society , through concrete action.

66. Fear not , the making of mistakes,, but rather, the reluctance , to correct ourselves., It is in fact, not that difficult, for us to change.

67. If we can reduce our desires,, there is nothing really worth , getting upset about.

- 23 - Powered by

68. The hardest thing, for people to see, is themselves.

69. Worry is a poisonous snake , that sleeps in the mind;, the moment you disturb it, , the snake will bite you.

70. To have two good hands , and refuse to work, is no different than , having no hands at all.

71.
- 24 - Powered by

When we are, honest and grounded, in what we do,, our mind will be stable;, then we can walk, steadily on lifes path, and our path will be, less bumpy.

72. The best medicine is, that which can treat, the conditions at hand.

73. The value of our life, lies in what we offer , and contribute, rather than , having a good image., Image itself, has little lasting value.

- 25 - Powered by

74. The key to doing good, is not the amount done, but doing , whatever should be done.

75. With more gratitude,, we will have , fewer misgivings.

76. Be forgiving, and less critical of others,, but be strict, and objective, in examining ourselves.

77.
- 26 - Powered by

Our life , is most grounded, when we are contributing, whatever we can, at each , and every opportunity.

78. People who are preoccupied , with past achievements , cannot humble themselves.

79. Every day is like the unfolding of a book,, each person, a lively essay.

80.

- 27 - Powered by

Never lose courage. Never lose faith. , Nothing in this world is impossible when you are determined.

81. Nurture the habit , of giving, and our world , will become vast.

82. To end the disasters, of the world,, we must begin by, transforming, human hearts and minds.

83.

- 28 - Powered by

Do not complain , in the face of bad karmic retribution. , Be forgiving and accommodating , instead of complaining.

84. We cannot love when filled with suspicion., We cannot forgive when unwilling to believe., We cannot trust when filled with doubts.

85. A fulfilling life, is not preoccupied with, material objects, , prestige, or power., It is a life, that is filled with, true friendships, sharing,, and caring for each other.

- 29 - Powered by

86. Ordinary people seek , material wealth., A saintly person, seeks Truth.

87. Weeds do not easily grow, in a field, planted with vegetables., Evil does not easily arise, in a heart , filled with goodness.

88. In doing tasks,, there should be procedures , without maneuvers;, and goals , without hidden agendas.

- 30 - Powered by

89. The greater our generosity,, the greater our blessings. 90. A love with conditions attached would never last. , Only pure, unconditional love will last forever.

91. Because seeing virtue in others, is in itself a virtue, in appreciating others,, we in fact dignify ourselves.

- 31 - Powered by

92. Giving is like , drawing water from a well;, as water is drawn,, more flows in., It is by giving , that blessings , continue to flow in.

93. It is through learning , from the trials , of everyday life, and human affairs, that wisdom is attained.

94. Being non-contentious, is not about sitting back , and just letting things be, but about working toward, the same goal, with mutual love , and harmony.
- 32 - Powered by

95. When we faithfully, fulfill our duties , and face all challenges , with acceptance and joy,, we dissolve a measure of , our negative karma, with every passing moment.

96. Progress in society comes through action,, not through loud protest.

97.

- 33 - Powered by

For the compassionate, there is no such thing , as an enemy;, for the wise, there is no arising , of affliction.

98. Blessed is a land, inhabited by , people who do good,, for it is the people , who make the , land blessed.

99. To have a warm and happy family,, we should nurture a heart of joy, and shower our family with blessings.

100.
- 34 - Powered by

True meditation , is to calm , the restless mind, in everyday living.

101. Transient though life may be,, ones contributions will live on;, as love knows no boundaries,, its spirit will always remain.

102. In the face of criticism, , ask if your conscience is clear. , With a clear conscience, , you will have peace of mind.

103.
- 35 - Powered by

Be grateful when people, try to hold you back, , for without them,, you would not develop, the strength, that enables you, to move forward.

104. Those who have great wisdom, must all the more be humble and unassuming,, just like the rice stalk that bows , under the weight of ripe grain.

105. Let our mind, be like a mirror, while the images reflected, are constantly changing,, the mirror itself , remains unchanged.
- 36 - Powered by

106. Be careful and mindful , when dealing with others, , but do not be narrow-minded.

107. All merits and virtues, are in fact, accrued , bit by bit over time.

108. Appreciate a compliment , and face unkind words , with understanding.

109.
- 37 - Powered by

Most beautiful in the sky, are the stars., Most beautiful on Earth, is human warmth and love.

110. It is better to speak less, , and best to speak kindly.

111. Be down-to-earth , and well-grounded in life,, instead of seeking only, a sense of accomplishment., We feel such peace, when we lead , a well-grounded life.

- 38 - Powered by

 Email: dakuan00@yahoo.com.tw
http://www.muni-buddha.com.tw/dakuanQA/

- 39 - Powered by